In performing high-precision processing on a substrate or the like, it is useful to align (adjust the position of) the substrate or the like, which is to be processed, before the processing. For example, by aligning such a substrate as described in Patent Literature 1, onto which a dicing tape has been stuck, before dicing, the substrate can be successfully diced.
There are several types of alignment apparatus. One of them is an alignment apparatus for aligning an alignment object (e.g., a substrate) by rotating the alignment object, detecting the position of the alignment object being rotated, and moving the alignment object in accordance with a difference between a target position and the position thus detected.
The alignment apparatus is described in detail. The alignment apparatus rotates a substrate (alignment object) with a spin chuck holding a nearly central part of the substrate. Then, the alignment apparatus irradiates the substrate with light from a side facing the upper surface of the substrate and detects the light on a side facing the lower surface, thereby determining whether or not the substrate is present in the position where the substrate has been irradiated with the light. Since the substrate is being rotated, the position of the substrate as a whole can be checked by continuously irradiating the substrate with the light and detecting the light. As described above, the alignment apparatus aligns the substrate by detecting the position of the substrate and moving the alignment object in accordance with a difference between a target position and the position thus detected.
Citation List
Patent Literature 1
Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2006-135272 A (Publication Date: May 25, 2006)